2013 College Blitz - UGA between the lines - defense

2013 College Blitz - UGA between the lines - defense

Damian Swann is the most experienced Georgia player in a rebuilt secondary.

Damian Swann is the most experienced Georgia player...

DE

Starter: *GARRISON SMITH, Sr., 6-3, 299

Backup: JOHN TAYLOR, R-Fr., 6-4, 336

NT

Starter: MIKE THORNTON, R-Jr., 6-1, 290

Backup: CHRIS MAYES, R-So., 6-4, 321

DE

Starter: STERLING BAILEY, R-So., 6-3, 282

Backup: RAY DREW, Jr., 6-5, 276

LB

Starter: JAMES DELOACH, So., 6-3, 265

Backup: CHASE VASSER, Sr., 6-3, 219

LB

Starter: RAMIK WILSON, Jr., 6-2, 232

Backup: RYNE RANKIN, Fr., 6-1, 222

LB

Starter: *AMARLO HERRERA, Jr., 6-2, 244

Backup: REGGIE CARTER, Fr., 6-1, 229

LB

Starter: *JORDAN JENKINS, So., 6-3, 246

Backup: JOSH DAWSON, So., 6-4, 254

K

*MARSHALL MORGAN, So., 6-3, 200

PATRICK BELESS, R-So., 5-9, 162

P

Starter: COLLIN BARBER, So., 6-2, 200

Backup: ADAM ERICKSON, R-Jr., 5-10, 171

KR

Starter: *MALCOLM MITCHELL, Jr., 6-1, 190

Backup: *TODD GURLEY, SO., 6-1, 232

PR

*MALCOLM MITCHELL, Jr., 6-1, 190

Backup: DAMIAN SWANN, Jr., 5-11, 178

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Breakdowns

Gone are Cornelius Washington, John Jenkins, Kwame Geathers and Abry Jones, and gone is defensive line coach Rodney Garner, who is now at Auburn. Chris Wilson is the new position coach after coming over from Mississippi State, and the only returning starter is senior end Garrison Smith, who took over when Jones went down midway through last season. Mike Thornton, who is 50 pounds lighter than either Jenkins or Geathers, is the new starting nose.

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Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree were first-round picks in April's NFL draft, but the Bulldogs may not endure a steep slide due to the return of Jordan Jenkins on the outside and Amarlo Herrera inside. Jenkins had eight tackles for loss and five sacks as a freshman, but now he won't have opposing offenses focused on Jones, and Herrera is the team's top returning tackler with 70.

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Bulldogs coaches are hoping sophomore punter Collin Barber and sophomore kicker Marshall Morgan will be more productive the second time around. Barber ranked 10th in the SEC but improved throughout his first year, launching a 60-yard punt against Ole Miss and a 51-yarder against Georgia Southern and averaging 47.2 yards against Auburn and 44.8 against Alabama. Morgan was just 8-of-14 on field-goal tries and missed four extra points, though he did end the year by making 31 straight PAT attempts. Malcolm Mitchell and Todd Gurley handled most of the kickoff returns a year ago, as did Mitchell, Rhett McGowan and Damian Swann on punt returns. The plan is for a lot of players to rotate in both roles this year as well.

CB

Starter: SHELDON DAWSON, So., 5-11, 190

SHAQ WIGGINS, Fr., 5-10, 165

FS

Starter: TRAY MATTHEWS, Fr., 6-0, 196

CONNOR NORMAN, R-Sr., 5-10, 201

SS

Starter: JOSH HARVEY-CLEMONS, So., 6-5, 212

COREY MOORE, Jr., 6-2, 214

CB

Starter: DAMIAN SWANN, Jr., 5-11, 178

BRENDAN LANGLEY, Fr., 6-1, 181

Since Bacarri Rambo, Shawn Williams, Sanders Commings and Branden Smith have moved on, there is no area of the team that needs more of an overhaul. Junior cornerback Damian Swann is a great rock from which to build, and sophomore cornerback Sheldon Dawson could be effective at the opposite spot. Sophomore Josh Harvey-Clemons and freshman Tray Matthews comprise a talented but young safety tandem. Harvey-Clemons is suspended for this week's opener, so junior Corey Moore and senior Connor Norman, a former walk-on, should get a lot of time alongside Matthews in Death Valley. The primary backups at cornerback are all newcomers, with junior college transfer Kennar Johnson and freshmen Shaw Wiggins and Brendan Langley having surpassed redshirt sophomore Devin Bowman from Ridgeland.